This will sadden a lot of fried-chicken eaters in the Chicagoland area — Doris Mae Hastert, owner of White Fence Farm on Route 66 in Lemont and a longtime greeter at the restaurant’s front door, died at age 93 on Monday.
White Fence Farm has been an area institution for about 50 years. It seats more than 1,000 people, and Hastert reportedly was there greeting people as recently as three weeks ago. I lived in northern Illinois nearly 15 years ago, and I heard about Doris Mae and her restaurant even then on WLS-AM commercials.
Here’s an excellent obituary in the Chicago Tribune, including a history of the restaurant and funeral information.
(Thanks to Lynn “Lulu” Bagdon for the tip.)
She was one remarkable woman to accomplish all that she did and to stay active in it right up until three weeks ago.
I went to the White Fence website and never did find out the name of her husband. The obituary didn’t mention it either.
Does anyone know his name?
The history page on the restaurant’s Web site lists Robert as her Doris’ husband. Probably an oversight by the obituary writer.